Growing Up

The Barbics, Glens and any other Disney characters are copyrighted to Disney and we claim no ownership. However, any new characters are copyrighted to Ulisa, Silver Fox and Cheetah the Furry. This plot is a collaboration of Ulisa, Silver Fox, and Cheetah the Furry.

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Buddi looked at Sunni. She had closed her eyes, no doubt exhausted. Buddi couldn't blame her. He was tired but oh, how he wanted to see a familiar face. He hurt and he was exhausted. The cub looked around, or attempted to as they were drug along. His head protested, screaming in pain. Buddi closed his eyes to try and ease the pain. It helped a bit. But his head still felt like he'd swung into a tree branch. He tried raising his hand to massage his temples but the burn on his hand prevented that and his other arm ached too much.

The entire battlefield was littered with the dead and injured. Buddi felt his stomach churn at the amount of blood…some of it was human, some gummi. He saw some of his own clan being tended to. They were so severely hurt they allowed their lives to be put in human hands. Buddi had never dreamed he would see that. But more than that, he saw at least two of the Barbics, Yuki and Demi, it looked like. The cub closed his eyes tightly against the sight .They looked bad…really bad.

"Don't die," he murmured softly. "please don't die."

As they were drawn closer to the tent, Buddi let one of his hands brush over the grass, scattering dew. Had the battle lasted so long? Was it truly near sunrise? It seemed like everything had just happened, instantaneously. Everything had just seemed to run in an unending spiral after they had first entered the battle. Buddi found himself wondering…

"Ursa goes through this?"

Already, a sickening feeling of regret was settling over his heart. He felt sick to his stomach. Seeing the wounded and dying on the battlefield was not helping. He knew that his plan had turned the tide and he knew that less people had died but so many laid dead on the field. It tore his heart in two. The cub looked around and saw, gratefully, that very few of his clan lay wounded…the most severe seemed to be Yuki and Demi. The cub closed his eyes and started to chant softly, in Barbic.

"Gentle Natur, Age of Pity. Hear my call. True enough, I have nothing to offer to you save my tears and pain. I beg of thee. Persuade your sister Eruta to stay her hand so that Yuki and Demi might live."

That said, exhaustion took its toll and the cub drifted off into a pain wrenched sleep.

"Sir Ecri…"

"I found these two nearly dead. They need immediate help."

"Aren't these two-"

"Yes, Buddi Barbic and Sunni Gummi."

It was a medic's assistant, Lassi, who answered. "Buddi…he's the little mastermind behind our victory! How is he?"

"Bad…"

"And Sunni…we owe our allegiance with Dunwyn and France to her."

"Almost as bad…what? What allegiance?"

Lassi and now one of the familiar Gummadoon medics, Penelopi, was gently moving the wounded. Lassi laid Sunni on a bed and immediately started to work on her with Penelopi. Her mentor said,

"Lassi, I can handle Sunni. Help Buddi!"

The apprentice ran to the cub's side and quickly gave him a look over. Her hands shook as she struggled to repair the multiple wounds he had. But he was so pale. Sunni was pale but not this deep a pale. Ecri had stopped the bleeding with that potion but Lassi could see spots where the blood had stained his tunic. She closed her eyes and said,

"I dunno what I can do…he lost so much blood…"

"Grubbi…"

Lassi jerked to attention. The little cub was a fighter. How could he die? Not like this…not after what he'd done. It hadn't taken their human friends long to tell of the plan Buddi had concocted. That plan had finally driven the enemies away. If they had kept fighting, who knew how many more would have died? In many ways, he'd saved countless lives. And now, was he meant to die for it?

"Grubbi." The cub stammered again, half conscious. Lassi was about to reply when the yellow cub spoke up from the bedside.

"Go get Grubbi. He's the Barbics' healer."

"Sunni," Penelopi spoke gently, "We're doing all we-"

"No!" she protested loudly and then grabbed her side. Through gritted teeth, she said, "Get Grubbi, he's the Barbic healer."

Lassi started to speak when Sunni all but screamed,

"Barbics were _raised_ for war. They're more advanced with medicine! Grubbi can help him…go get him!" That said, pain overwhelmed her and she collapsed into unconsciousness.

Now, Penelopi interfered,

"You heard her. Go, Lassi!"

The eighteen year old nodded, tore by Ecri and outside. The knight looked after her and then spoke to Penelopi as she worked.

"What alliance?"

Here, the older gummi's features beamed as if a light was inside. When she spoke, she sounded like a giddy teenager.

"The Gummadoon council has made alliance with Duwnyn and France."

"What…"

Ecri couldn't believe his ears. After so many years…they risked an alliance?

"Can we trust Dunwyn?" he asked, incredulous. "They were a bit…reluctant to cooperate at first."

"Would you be if you had been told to work with a group of creatures that you had believed to fictitious?"

Ecri shrugged; he didn't have good answer to that. Penelopi spoke softly,

"Their King has stepped down. Paralyzed in battle."

Ecri made no reaction, just watched her work on the young bear on the cot. "So…"

"The alliance was made shortly after the battle, by the Princess. She said this girl here," she gestured to Sunni, "Originally suggested it."

Another nod.

"The council agreed. Sunni had made very valiant points to Princess…oh, I'm sorry," she smiled, "_Queen_ Calla. The council agreed to an alliance between Dunwyn and France, although all sides agreed for it to be a trial period for the first year."

Ecri nodded; he didn't raise his objections. He knew that logically it made sense, despite his dislike for the human race. Even more so now…

Ecri looked over where some of the dead had been laid, gently. Their bodies were cleaned, so they might lay distinguished. He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Penelopi.

"About Yaci…"

The gummi knight turned his head, tears temporarily blinding his vision. He just nodded, letting her know he appreciated her support.

"What is the dead total?"

"Multiple humans, too many gummi…no Barbics."

Ecri looked at her and he smiled faintly,

"Ursa wasn't kidding when she said they knew war."

Penelopi looked at the young Barbic who laid so disturbingly still.

"Let's hope they know medicine just as well."

Grubbi chuckled and thumped Yuki on the shoulder,

"you'll live."

Yuki chuckled in response, "Thanks."

"Grubbi!"

The Barbic clan had gathered together after the battle and now turned as a young cub came running towards their group. She was calling for their healer. The elder Barbic caught her shoulders,

"Whoa, what's-"

"Buddi…hurt bad!"

Ursa's face paled and she almost ran forward but Grubbi swiftly gave a nod to Gritti who grabbed the Barbic leader by her shoulders. Grubbi stood and said,

"Take me to him."

"Grubbi-" Ursa had stepped forward. He turned to her,

"I'll call you when I think you should come Ursa. For now…why don't you do your best to find out where that calvary came from?"

She was tempted to argue but Gritti held her firm and whispered into her ear.

"Ursa…if Buddi's hurt bad, you need to see him when you're calm. He won't want to see you hysterical."

Ursa ground her teeth but she knew Gritti was right. He must have felt her despair, the same type of fear he could see on his entire clan's face was ten fold on hers. He gave her light squeeze, of comfort. For a brief time, Ursa let him hold her, watching Grubbi follow the cub towards one of the first aid tents. A branch fell on her shoulder and both she and Gritti turned and were surprised to find one of the mobile trees by her side. It was the older one. Ursa looked up and the tree spoke deeply,

"I can tell you exactly where it came from…"

Buddi felt himself shuffled around but he couldn't concentrate on anything. Everything blurred. He thought he heard scratches of conversation but the need to open his eyes wasn't strong enough to conquer the exhaustion that had taken hold of his body. He'd never been so tired in his life. He just wanted to sleep. Sleep had never sounded so good.

Someone slapped his cheeks, pried his mouth open and some kind of horrid tasing mush was shoved into his mouth. He gagged, involuntarily.

"I know it tastes bad but eat it."

The voice was slurred yet somehow familiar. Buddi tried desperately to place it. But he found it was hardly worth the trouble so he just did as he was told, anxious for the time when he could once again sleep. He didn't have the wait long because sleep came swiftly and he briefly heard the sounds of familiar footsteps but by then, he was dead to the world.

"Cubbi! Cubbi!"

Plucki supported the limp cub in his arms. The lad's head loomed over her arm, lifeless. Tears burned in his eyes. Not again, Sweet Gum, not again! He'd just gotten Cubbi back! This couldn't happen…no, he couldn't handle it. He'd lost his wife, his son and now he had lost his youngest knight. Cubbi…he had so much promise, so much potential. Plucki had been thinking seriously of asking the cub to become a full time knight in training, where he would move into Gummadoon and train under Plucki to become a fully anointed knight. Now, with this act of selflessness and bravery…had that chance been taken?

Plucki eyed the shattered staff and cursed it with all his being.

"CUBBI!"

The Gummadoon Captain looked up to see little Tavi Gummi running towards the cub. She'd broken out of her aunt's grip. She fell by Plucki's side, tears streaming down her face.

"Not Cubbi too!"

"Too?"

The council and Plucki were looking at her. She ignored their glances but did answer,

"Mama and Papa are dead. So's Lucki…died on the battlefield."

Plucki closed his eyes briefly at the news. Wooddale caught on and gently pulled her niece up. Tavi embraced her aunt, burying her face in her aunt's skirts. Wooddale stroked her only surviving family member's hair, taking note of the golden streaks. Rather than ask at the moment, she knelt, her voice softer than it usually was.

"Tavi. Do me a favor. Go to the tents and round up our allies. We should head back to Gummadoon."

Tavi looked over at the limp form of Cubbi for a minute more.

"But Cubbi, he's-"

"I'm fine."

Plucki jerked his head down as Cubbi slowly stirred. His reply had been slurred but he…yes, he was alive! Tears slowly slid down the Captain's face and he gently hoisted the cub up a bit. Cubbi cracked his eyes open and he said softly to his Captain's face,

"You'd be surprised what you can live through."

Buddi was quite aware he was no longer alone and the horrid sleepiness was fading. Someone touched his left temple. Barbic, he knew by the smell. For a moment, he thought Grubbi but no…it was too slender. These were feminine hands. He groaned low. He forced his eyes to open, just a bit. He was still tired. His vision swirled a moment but then he knew:

His clan was here, all twenty three of them, by his bedside. Grubbi stood to the side, dipping a cloth in some type of herbal water. The others were scattered about, not close but with attentive looks. They were waiting for him to wake up. Buddi's eyes focused on the person touching him, so gently. When his vision cleared, he saw Ursa sitting by his bedside, smiling down at him, her face a mixture of relief, pure pride and happiness beyond comparison. She rubbed his temple a little,

"Bloom, my little tree."

Tavi was close to the humans when a brief flash caught her eye. Wary of any more magic, she rushed to investigate. As she came up, she saw four gummies, older, talking amongst themselves.

"Get the right time but not the right place?"

"Stow it Gruffi! Leave him alone."

Tummi looked up. "Uh…guys." He pointed right at Tavi and the three gummies turned.

Tavi backed up, a bit nervous. But then, the older glen gummi stepped forward and knelt.

"Well, hello there pumpkin."

Tavi relaxed as even the gruff older gummi was looking at her with compassion. She spoke, curious.

"Who're you?"

"I'm Grammi-"

"And Gruffi and Tummi and Zummi?" she interrupted. Grammi blinked.

"Uh…yes…how did-"

"Sir Cubbi talked about you!"

"_Sir_ Cubbi?"

She nodded. "C'mon…he'll wanna see you."

She led them back towards the field. Gasps came from their throats. The gruff one said,

"I hope there's a story behind this."

Tavi giggled, faintly, "a long one."

Tummi spoke, softly, "And you are?"

She turned around and did a curtsy, as her Mother had taught her to do,

"Tavi Gummi of Gummadoon."